*Stadium proposed venue for 2022 FIFA World Cup opening and final matches
*Stadium located in Lusail City – once the home of Qatar’s founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani al-Thani
*The 80,000-capacity stadium will be the biggest tournament venue for 2022 FIFA World Cup
*Stadium will host opening match and final, along with matches throughout the tournament

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) on Saturday revealed the design for Lusail Stadium, the venue where the opening and final games of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar will be played.

The 80,000-capacity venue will be the largest stadium during the tournament, which will kick off on November 21 , 2022.

Located 15km north of central Doha, Lusail Stadium will form the centrepiece of the new ultra-modern Lusail City, the construction of which is 90% completed.

Lusail was once the home of the founder of modern Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani al-Thani.

Renowned British firm Foster + Partners provided the design concept for the stadium. The venue’s golden vessel takes its inspiration from an Arab architectural sense as much as it does from literal symbolism by celebrating the region’s ancient tradition of craftsmanship. The design features ‘fanar’ lanterns and intricately detailed bowls that have been created for centuries in the region.

Construction of the stadium, which is being delivered by a joint venture comprising Qatari firm HBK Contracting Company and China Railway Construction Corporation, is already well underway. With the substructure complete, the concrete superstructure and infrastructure works are progressing in all zones, while internal works have commenced in the west stand. Construction is set to be completed in 2020.

This is the eighth stadium design to be unveiled by the SC, which is responsible for delivering the infrastructure and host country planning required for 2022 and ensuring it leaves a lasting legacy for Qatar, the region and the world. Khalifa International Stadium became the first tournament-ready venue in 2017, while two more stadiums will be completed early next year – Al Wakrah Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor City.

Commenting on the design launch, SC Secretary General Hassan al-Thawadi said: “With the reveal of the iconic Lusail Stadium design, today marks another significant milestone on the road to 2022. It has now been eight years since we won the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup and we told the world to expect amazing. With this stunning design of our showpiece stadium, I am proud today to once again be delivering on that promise.

“The new stadium is a nod to our past and a symbol of an exciting future. On the very same land as the home of our nation’s founder, it sits at the heart of a brand new city. It’s a city for the future, and once the World Cup is over it will form a crucial part of the legacy of the tournament as it transforms to become the heart of a brand new community. We hope that one day, future generations look at Lusail Stadium as a source of inspiration, perseverance and innovation that enabled the transformation of Lusail into the modern city it is.”

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Hilal al-Kuwari, Chairman of the SC’s Technical Delivery Office, said: “Unveiling the design of Lusail Stadium is another step on our journey to hosting an unforgettable World Cup in 2022. We are currently in the peak construction phase and making incredible progress in collaboration with our partners and stakeholders. We look forward to celebrating more milestones in 2019 and beyond.”

Yasir al-Jamal, Vice Chairman of the SC’s Technical Delivery Office, said: “As with each of our other seven proposed venues, Lusail Stadium will be a world-class arena, fit to host the most important and widely-watched game in world sport. I am delighted to report that work is already under way at the site, and significant progress has been made – with all building works on course to be completed by 2020. We look forward to welcoming the world here in 2022.”

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FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, who attended the launch, added: “I am delighted to see Qatar’s continued commitment to excellence in the spectacular Lusail Stadium. Qatar’s stadiums are among the most eye-catching ever seen and the venue proposed for the final is absolutely gorgeous. I particularly enjoy the fact that Middle East culture is reflected in Lusail’s and several other designs, and look forward to seeing football fans from all over the world discover the culture and history of the region.”

After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lusail Stadium will be transformed into a community space, including schools, shops, cafés, sport facilities and health clinics. This multi-purpose community hub will allow people to find everything they need under one roof – the original roof of the football stadium.

To make way for these new amenities, many of the stadium’s modular seats will be removed and donated to sporting projects, taking this arena’s extraordinary legacy – and a little bit of FIFA World Cup history – to locations around the world.